Field Marshal Stapleton Cotton was a hero of the Napoleonic Wars - victory in which saved Europe from tyranny - and, as such, is worthy of his place in history and of our respect.

In 1810 he was appointed to overall command of the cavalry in the Peninsular War and he was Wellington's Second-in-Command at the Battle of Salamanca in 1812. In 1825 he was appointed to Commander-in-Chief in India, where he restored the Raja of Bharatpur with a much celebrated siege of that fort.

Like all Caribbean estates at the time, his included enslaved people, but it is incorrect to say that he was a 'slave trader'. And to suggest that the statue glorifies this aspect is patently foolish. It celebrates his military achievements, which stand as an inspiration to the people of Chester and of Britain.

And then there is the bigger picture. We are currently seeing our nation's history being chipped away on the crest of a small but noisy wave of protest. We should not make the mistake of judging history through the lens of our own morality, for nobody would pass that test. The silent majority of this country want our public monuments to remain. They belong to us all and represent our heritage.